Beautiful Life – Page 6 – Skies of Parchment

July 3, 2014

Hello Again.

So it’s been nearly two months?
I feel like we need introductions again. :)

Thank you so much for those who have expressed care and love to our family, as well as to my sister and her husband during the past few months. We still grieve the loss of dear little Kenny so deeply, and miss him every day. There have been so many of you that have cared that we could never thank you all personally, or express our gratitude and tell you how much it has meant to us.

The combination of life events and various commitments to some bigger things the past little while has been the reason for the blog hiatus. The Lord has been so faithful to us, to me. His faithfulness doesn’t mean that the difficulties of life simply go away and all is ease, but that He is walking so closely, so tenderly, with us through it all. And it has given us a perspective of eternity like a life void of heartache could never do. Heaven is ever more precious, and what feels like Home, even before I arrive.

I really don’t even know where to start catching up from the past few months. This year in general has been the most sparse with blogging that I think I’ve ever done, since I started writing on this little pad. :) Instagram has taken the place of blogging, I suppose, and I put little life snippets there. So, I don’t know if I’ll try to do some catchup-posts [because we’ve had some special things like birthdays and a family wedding (on my husband’s side) and surprise visits from family and some house projects] or if I’ll just start from here and go forward. But I’ve missed this space and the connection with you all here, and hope to be back more often.

Also, the look of this blog may be changing just a bit, just a little experimenting with headers and fonts and such. Just giving you a heads-up if you come here and think someone with ADD keeps changing things around. :)

And because no post is ever complete without pictures – at least on my blog – here’s a few of that one time we pretended to be hipsters. :)

that one time we pretended to be hipsters

i love my little family

wanna-be hipster family

It’s true. We were total wanna-be’s. :) We girls tried to dress the part, in the full 10 minutes we had to prepare, and my sister asked me, “Uh, aren’t you, like, trying too hard?” You know, she was totally right. And obviously Hudson was there in his jammies and Husband didn’t know he’s get conned into being in the picture. But we had fun anyway. Ha!

the three littles

My brother [ a true hipster, and one who loves Jesus so much] is the owner of this super rad vehicle. He has plans to take a west-coast road trip in Melody [his name for this VW bus] with some guys later this fall. I’m just a little jealous.

with the yellow bus

// James, one of my brothers, and two of my sisters.//

This was a fun early morning when my brother rattled up to have coffee with me, and then we snapped a few pictures before everyone left for church and we returned home to the south.

four of we

Sorry girls. To get to him? You go through US.
[We were trying to look fierce and scary. I don’t think it worked.]

to get the bro, you have to go through us

Have a lovely weekend!

Remember you are loved by your Creator. ♥

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May 5, 2014June 25, 2014

Of Hope and an Anchor.

'we have this hope as an anchor of the soul' chalkboard
This little blog has been very quiet of late.

The circumstances surrounding these days have been such as need no apology for the quiet, and the thoughts and feelings such as are difficult to translate into words. Pen to paper, or words to computer page, are normally how I can easily express myself. These days, articulation is difficult at best in any form.

It is not a question of my faith, or a shaking of what I believe. It is more a deep feeling for those I love so dearly, that are facing such loss in varied ways… It may be a death, or the losing of a family member in other ways that are equally painful. The details are not mine to tell, but probably all of us know of times in our own lives or in those we love, when we suddenly saw life as the battle is really is: the blissful carefree perspective disappeared, and the reality of the sorrow of life nearly takes your breath away, it’s so severe.

Sometimes my heart feels torn in two for those I love, and the how they experience such raw agony. I wish there was some way I could take it away for them, make life happy and carefree again… and I can’t.

anchor of the soul chalkboard

Quote from The Church Initiative, Inc

“Grief will either make you a better person or it will cause you to harden your heart as you resist its lessons. You have the opportunity for unparalleled spiritual growth. This will not happen quickly, but you can grow deeply. By learning that life is a precious gift, you can do more than just exist; you can live on a higher plane.

It was when Isaiah’s friend died that he had a deeper experience of God.

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory'” (Isaiah 6:1-3). ”

[end quote]

…Grief will either make you a better person, or it will cause you to harden your heart…
Yes, I can so see how this is true.
I so much want the first one, to be come a better person, to grow a deeper heart in relationship with God. Grief has a way of revealing what a person is truly made of, and of what truly matters in life – that it’s GOD that matters most of all, that life here on earth is so transient, so short, in light of eternity. And it’s PEOPLE and relationships that matter…

There are days when I wake up and feel that I could never be exasperated or upset with my kids again – I mean, how could I be, when I’ve been given three of them as such precious treasures, when some women long for even just one baby of their own?

And then, that very same day, real-life happens.
…Food gets strewn all over the floor at lunch time (and maybe even breakfast).
…Little guy cleans off the chalkboard so sweetly with a wet paper towel, and I suddenly realize that the only water he can reach is the toilet! So into the bathtub he goes, along with his sister who needed a bath anyway.
… I hear water splashing outside, and try to think of when and how I left a faucet on somehow. I look out the door and see the two freshly-bathed kiddos splashing in mud-puddles they’ve made, jumping and laughing, and muddy from head to toe.

And this all happened, for real, in one day. Disasters? Not at all. Exasperating? You betcha!!

Never becoming exasperated again? Maybe that will start tomorrow. :)

It’s in these times ~ in the great heartbreaks of life, of deep loss, of pain to the core of our beings, of relationships that are imperfect and painful, and yes, also in challenges of mothering when I’m brought to ~~near~~ tears – I realize so much how I need my Anchor.

anchor chalkboard mantel

I changed out the chalkboard in the living room recently with the verse that’s been on my heart so much the past six weeks, through various heartbreaking things we’ve lived through and heard, and through the daily responsibility and gift of being mommy to three little people.

“…It is impossible for God to ever prove false or deceive us, so we who have fled to Him for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope set before us.

“We have this hope, as an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast…”
[Hebrews 6:18-19, Amplified]

What hope? The hope of Jesus Christ, the truth, and the knowledge that He IS everything I need. He never promised that life wouldn’t disappoint, or that circumstances wouldn’t be hard. But He did promise that HE would never disappoint us.

I don’t profess at all to know the great “why?” behind so many questions… The why of little babies born to a godly father and mother who wanted them, who prayed for them, who would teach them in the ways of God, and then tragically taken. The why of babies born out of sin and lust, put into families that are full of the flesh, that are determined to live their own way no matter what God says, and living in the midst of sin. The why of babies born and growing up, sold into the sex trade (1 million every year). The why of families enduring pain as the result of a father making bad choices, and the innocent are left to suffer and pick up the broken pieces. The why of health challenges, of sickness that is incurable.

Did you know that many atheists have come about not as a mere logical conclusion, but as a result of being angry at God, for all the sin in the world? And so they deliberately turn their backs on Him, refusing to have anything to do with a God who tolerates such pain in His created world.

I don’t profess to know the answers to these hard questions. I just know that I cry tears as a result of this sin in the world, of the pain and brokenness. And I am don’t understand how God can respect the free will of man, even when it results in such sorrow and disaster. But I know that sin is responsible for all the sadness and agony in the world: this was not God’s design.

But can I trust God in the middle of all this? In the wreckage of humanity? In the sorrow of loss?

It comes down to a belief: Either God IS who He says He is, in every situation, or He isn’t. He is either faithful and trustworthy at all times, or none of the time. He is either kind and good in all things, or in nothing.

I choose to put ALL my stakes in with the first – He IS trustworthy in everything, He IS good at all times, He IS God.

anchor chalkboard

Because He is an Anchor. When life brings storms and everything is torn apart, He never changes. He gives peace, even when it seems unfathomable that there should be peace. He brings comfort in sorrow. and we grieve with hope because we know HE will have the last word, and this life isn’t the end of the story.

And if you want a beautiful, powerful song to listen to, go here. Music ministers so deeply…

Happy Monday, my friends! Rejoice in the Anchor of our souls!

And thank you, truly truly thank you for the great outpouring of love and support we’ve felt from so many people – through words on the previous blog post, messages, texts, but also cards and love and even food brought to us and to my family. The family of Christ is just so precious. We could never repay you. ♥

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March 20, 2014

Hello Spring!

spring fever quote

Ahhh, yes, hello Spring!
We’ve been seeing hints of your arrival for the past month, but this week especially we knew you were near.

This morning we woke up to beautiful warm sunshine, and it was the perfect start to springtime. All winter I was jealous of the snow in the north. But now? The north can have their snow. I’m happy to take Spring. :)

This little southern town is simply wreathed in dogwoods and Bradford pear trees and azaleas. It is the most beautiful time of the year here, and I always anticipate all the lovely blossoms everywhere.

There are little bursts of sunshine all over the house, and little touches that say,
“I’m happy spring is here!”

// In the kitchen //

Tulips in silver pitchers – I do the same thing every year, just cheap grocery store tulips in a an elegant thrifted pitcher. I love it so.

spring in the kitchen

// Dining Room //

First blooming Dogwood branches! They are my very very favorite springtime blossoms.
I just cannot get enough of them! They are dainty and soft, they are elegant and beautiful, they are unique and dazzling.

spring world

lovely spring

// Living Room //

Springtime mantel. It’s done very simply this year, with an oversized chalkboard with my favorite quote at present. It’s something I saw online, and I wish I could remember where, but I knew it must be in our home. Truly, the Gospel is all I have. Without it, I am nothing, and have nothing.

the gospel is all I have

spring mantel with fresh blossoms

// first bouquet //

Zoe is a little flower girl, always bringing in little ~~weeds~~ blooms and blossoms she finds. Then she carefully arranges them in vases and bottles of her choice. I love this about her. I found these two sitting right here on the patio table.

Zoe's first bouquet

// gardening //

Perhaps it’s more rightly called, “hopes of gardening” because there is no garden at present.
But, husband buys lots of tomato plants anyway. :)
And I am excited right along with him.
This post has me dreaming and planning… at least in my mind.

young tomatoes

// new discoveries //

On one of the first 80 degree days we had, we abandoned the house and spend the whole afternoon outside. It was glorious! Fresh sunshine does wonders for a human soul!

This little guy discovered the water hose, and I spent at least an hour just giggling at him. He was being such a little BOY, turning the hose on his sisters and hearing them shriek, and then he’d had to stop and LAUGH and laugh to himself at how much fun it all was.
Oh goodness, he just melts me in a puddle!

my darling son

hello spring!

spring beauties

// twirl //

There is something about little girls, sunshine, and twirly skirts that speak of innocence and delight, of how the world was meant to be.

One night after supper, when the evenings were getting longer and daylight stayed close to bedtime, Zoe and Olivia were running about the yard. They had chosen matching dresses earlier in the day “Because we want people to think we’re twins!!”. I looked out the window to see them laughing and twirling, arms stretched out wide, spinning until they tumbled, and then back up again, doing it all over.

I was mesmerized. It was so carefree, so uninhibited.
It was living fully in the moment, simply delighted with sunshine and each other and skirts that spin wide.

It was worship.
I want to live like that.

spring twirlers innocent happiness

Happy Spring, my friends!

Let yourself be loved of God today, and twirl.

March 5, 2014March 6, 2014

First Beach Day.

Hellooooooo, March!
I am very happy to see your arrival, because it marks the beginning of a most happy month (namely, the birth of my first niece or nephew)!

However, February passed by ever-so-fast that it seems a blur,
so, the next few posts may just be back-tracking…
There may even be a few Valentine’s Day pictures, how sad. :)

But today, here are a few pictures of our first day at the ocean this year!
[Well, technically, it was our second, since we were there on a colder day bundled up a bit.]

This was a sunny, warm day in February, when some friends were in town.
And what better way to enjoy an 80 degree day in February than be at the coast?
We may not have snow days, but we do, on occasion, have beach days. :)
#perksoflivinginthesouth

And, it was one of the first 80 degree days of the year,
which seems crazy while 7 hours north there are still snowstorms,
but hey! We’re all trying to choose joy, right? :)

We joined three other moms and their kids, so it was a party for the kids.
Unfortunately, we arrived late because it was a last-minute morning-of decision to go
and I realized the kids had grown out of their swimwear from last year.
Enter quick shopping trips and lots of time lost looking for cute swimwear that didn’t exist.

[Also, since when is little girl swimwear so provocative?? Frustration is the mildest emotion of what I was feeling, as I looked at the little strings my six-year old was expected to wear.I shopped online after returning home and decided it’s worth it to pay more money for swimwear that is both cute and modest, so the next beach trip we’ll be better prepared. Lands End and DownEast Basics offer several options ~ thanks to Anita for the referrals! I’m off my soapbox now.]

// little boy child, enjoying the sunny blue day //

But, even the few short hours we spent at the ocean were so worth the trip.

Warm sunshine,
sand between my toes,
kids laughing and playing, even in freezing cold water,
sitting with friends…

Ocean days are the very best kind of days. :)

// little girl child, always running and laughing //

// Sibling snack break //

One of the things I enjoy most about living in the South IS living close to the coast.
The ocean is therapeutic; the sound of the waves, the warm sunshine, the time to quiet.

But the greatness of God is so very evident there, and I love that the most.
Whenever I feel overwhelmed by life, by the challenges & unknowns,
all I need to do is walk by the water, or sit in the sand,
and my heart KNOWS.

I KNOW that my God can handle anything that is present, and anything that may come.
He is big enough, He is sufficient, He is more than adequate.
His resources know no limits.
His wisdom has no end.
His strength isn’t ever maxed out.
His love is always there.
His faithfulness will always continue.

How can I not trust this kind of Savior, this Lord who has given me all of Him?
My only response can be giving Him all of me.

Until next time, grand ocean…

/Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made/
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade/
To write the love of God above/
Would drain the ocean dry/
Nor could the scroll/
Contain the whole though stretched from sky to sky

Oh love of God! How rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure/
The saints and angels song!/

{a favorite song of mine, and of my beloved friend Ruth,
who now sings in the very presence of our Sweet Jesus}

February 5, 2014

A Faux Snow Day.

Down here in the Deep South, we are rather in amazement at all the arctic weather we hear about and see pictures of, all within a day’s drive due north.

Here? We just spent a happy weekend at the coast with friends, and are having weather in the 70’s and 80’s. It’s… nice. :)

But I would be lying if I’d say I don’t miss the snow. I spent the first few years of my life in the tropics of Central America, and after that, in the Northeast United States. Some of my favorite childhood winter memories include snowfalls and winter wonderlands and hot chocolate warming frozen fingers and making snow forts and snow tunnels and snow men with my dad and sisters and all kinds of things involving SNOW!

I have to admit to a bit of wrestling with contentment this winter. It’s very probable that if you’re a “transplant” of any kind, you may feel as though your kids miss out on what you knew as a kid, to a certain degree. I’m not mad I live where I do… It’s just that it makes me sad that my kids don’t know what a real snowfall is like, or what it’s like to be snowed in! [Yes, I’m a real snow-lover, with no shame at all about it. :)]

And if you’re a transplant yourself, you may feel similar feelings, only with your particular memories in mind. If you experienced a happy childhood, you just want your kids to have a similar experience. Funny thing is, if we ever moved north, my southern husband would probably think his kids are missing out on southern things! :)

Sometimes, the grass looks greener somewhere else.
Or, in my case, sometimes the snow looks more appealing than 70 degrees. :)
And sometimes, I just have to CHOOSE joy, no matter what the circumstances are.
I don’t know about you, but joy isn’t something that necessarily comes hunting me down:
it’s a perspective I must choose, even in the midst of what I think are less-than-perfect circumstances.

For me, joy is a trust that God’s ways are perfect, that He is good, and His heart for me is kind; and that even when things don’t make sense, I can still trust HIM. Out of that spills joy – the knowledge that God knows best [for me and my kids, and they’re not missing out!] and He sees the bigger picture.

It’s a lesson I only have to learn, well, every day. :)

So, just for fun this year, on one particular day when my family [who lives in the arctic weather] was having yet another 8 inches of snow, I declared a snow day here. Yep, right here in the Deep South. There was nary a flurry in sight, or even the hopes of one, but thankfully it was cool enough to build a fire in the hearth, so I gathered the kiddos around and told them snow stories of when I was a little girl. And I told my wide-eyed children that some people get to have snow days, when it snows so much they can’t even go to school or to the store, and they stay home and have fun. [Right, northerners-with-cabin-fever? :) ] And we had ourselves a snow day! *insert cheers and hurrays*

We read stories, like The Long Winter, the kids played and colored pictures and couldn’t believe the great idea of their mother, and we pretended we were in a blizzard. :) It was just the most fun ever!

So where does this “faux snow” come from, you may wonder? Well, places like Target or Michaels sell a generous bag of faux snow [‘faux’ rhymes with ‘snow’] for $1.99, so we opened up a bag leftover from Christmas and had us a little snow fall. :) The pictures were taken on Christmas Eve, our snow day was two weeks ago, and I’m just now writing about it. :) – thus the Christmas décor (which is still up on my front porch, actually: I just cannot bear to take it down).

I absolutely loved the kids faces on these pictures ~ Zoe especially. When she’s thrilled out of her mind, she laughs. And she was laughing and laughing during this little snow play. ♥

And they were having faux-snow much fun, I had to join them! This little spur-of-the-moment snow fun will be one of the best things of the Winter of 2014 for us! It really IS the little things. :)

And what do you know, we made [faux] snow memories, even in the south! :)

May your day be sweet, as you choose joy this day.

Postscript: Just a reminder that this is the last day of the Chalk Shop giveaway! The winner will be chosen and notified tomorrow.

February 1, 2014February 1, 2014

An Afternoon at Terrain.

When we were in Pennsylvania over the holidays, I spent an afternoon with my dear friend Shelly.

As I think over our friendship, it’s been so unique in that most of the time we’ve been long-distance from each other. There have been a few segments of time where we’ve been in the same location for two months, at two different times, but mostly, we’ve lived far apart.

The amazing aspect of all that is that we’ve only grown closer with time. As we’ve gotten married, had babies, remodeled or built our houses, Shelly has been a friend that’s been constant. She’s not threatened (if our phone conversations don’t happen as often as we’d like), and simply does not carry offenses (even though I’m not nearly a perfect friend).She enters my world, delights in my children, exclaims over new details in my life, has inspired me to make food an art form, challenges me as we raise our children in the love and fear of God, and has taught me precious things about friendship.

So imagine my delight when I was able to spend some an afternoon with her ~ just the two of us [and the two of us have multiplied into 11 now, including us and our husbands and children! :)]!

Shelly suggested Styer’s Garden Café, also known as Terrain. Knowing she has great taste in food and restaurants, and we both love an adventure, we set off. It was a bit of a distance away, but that only allowed for time to us to talk and catch up with each other.

And before we knew it, we were at Styer’s. This place is so hard to describe… but just think ~ what if Anthropologie turned into an upscale café? And that is exactly it. Yes, it’s not just an eating place ~ it’s an experience!

Deliberating over the menu took a considerable amount of time. It was not the normal cuisine that I’m accustomed to eating, but we finally chose a…

Red Wine Poached Seckel Pear Salad

parsley & frisee salad, toasted hazelnuts, Rogue smokey blue, pomegranate vinaigrette

And a platter of Artisanal Cheese…

Nancy’s Hudson Valley Camembert, Rogue River Smokey Blue Cheese, Shellbark Farms Sharp Chevre, Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper

house-made pickles &‎ preserves, honeycomb, crostinis

[um, I know, right?? how does one even pronounce many of those foods?]

Let me just say, it was an entire experience that delighted the senses!
I have rarely ever enjoyed food to such a degree as I did that day;
the atmosphere, the presentation, and the flavor were all simply delicious.

The location is within a greenhouse, converted into a unique dining experience. There is still a fine greenhouse on location, with exquisite plants and greens, and you walk through part of it to arrive at the café area. It’s most enchanting.

They had fabulous kraft paper rolls around the restaurant area, displaying specials and notices. I dream of them in my kitchen one day. Dream.

After a leisurely lunch of a few hours, we strolled around the Terrain – the store part of the venue. It is in collaboration with Anthropologie and a few other noteworthy stores, so you can only imagine the unique and delightful pieces we exclaimed over!

We attempted a self-timer photo, and this is the best that we got. :)

And another take… You’d never know by these pictures that Shelly was within days of birthing her 4th baby. I was a little nervous, lest the baby decide to come early, and I’d need to take a midwife role on a highway. :) Thankfully, bebe stayed put and waited until the right time.

As I look through these picture I relive the afternoon all over again. :)

Moments such as these are truly what brings beauty to our lives – the richness of relationship, the time to savor and enjoy special moments, the delight in loveliness and uniqueness and creativity. It was inspiring in so many ways. Thank you, Shelly, for a treasure of a day! xo

Now it’s your turn! What is one of your most favorite cafes or dining experiences?

January 29, 2014February 6, 2014

Giveaway! {from The Chalk Shop}

And we have a WINNER!
Sharon was chosen from an online random number generator, and we will be contacting you promptly! Congratulations, Sharon!

On listing her favorite piece, she said, “Too many to choose from, but JOY or the Christmas one with the names of Jesus!”

[There may be more than one Sharon who entered, so if it was you, you will be receiving an email within a few minutes.]

Thanks so much to all of you who participated, and made this a fun giveaway!

____________________________________________________

When I featured my sister Jana’s beautiful home on my blog in December as part of the Christmas Home Tours, there were quite a few people interested in her lovely chalk art. At that point she was considering making it a business venture, but hadn’t gotten it off the ground yet.

Well, I am here to announce the opening of The Chalk Shop!

Jana is a superbly talented woman, with much artistic ability, and I wish her well in this business venture! Her handwriting has been much admired long before the opening of this shop, and I love to see Jana using her God-given abilities to bless other people through art.

Here is a little sampling of some of the pieces she’s done. The chalk art is available framed or unframed, on wood or canvas, and special orders and customization are available!

the chalk shop - collage